A Sip of You (The Epicurean Series) by Sorcha Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

to talk to you. Are you in Napa?”
    “Yes. And get this, Beckett.” I told him about the private jets and our fooling around at thirty thousand feet.
    “Cat, I would seriously hate you if I didn’t love you so much.”
    I laughed. “I would hate me too, and I haven’t even told you about the house yet.”
    “What are you waiting for?”
    “It’s incredible, Beckett. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a mansion—like a straight-out-of-the-rolling-hills-of-Tuscany kind of mansion.”
    “Listen to you, auditioning for HGTV or something.”
    “I’m not even done.” I sat up and folded my legs, Indian style. “The views are amazing. I knew Napa was gorgeous, but I had no idea. And the art. I’m afraid to get too close to it. It’s everywhere and it must be worth millions. I mean, I think I saw a Monet in the living room. A Monet , like the kind you see in a museum. Can you fucking believe it? I could get lost in this place, it’s so big. I guess it’s really an estate. And it has a name. Casa di Rosabela.”
    Beckett sighed. “I’ve always wanted to live on an estate with a name and a Monet. Can I come and visit? I promise not to pee in the pool.”
    I rolled my eyes. “Beckett, I’m seriously a little freaked out right now. I knew William was wealthy, but I didn’t know , you know?”
    “No.”
    I laughed.
    “Cat,” Beckett said, his tone turning serious. “So what if the guy has two private jets—”
    “Five.”
    “Okay, five— five ? Seriously?”
    “Yes! And a villa—I mean, a mansion.”
    “I thought we were calling it an estate.”
    “Whatever. I haven’t even told you about the vintage Porsche or the closet stocked with designer clothes and shoes all for me.”
    “And I want to hear all about them, but first you need to calm down. So what if the guy has more money than I don’t know, Oprah or somebody. You’re into him, not his stuff. Right?”
    “Right.” I knew that much absolutely. “But how do I separate the two?” I really didn’t know how much of William the Man was intertwined with William the Wealthy Magnate , and I hadn’t really thought about it until right this instant. I could feel my chest tightening—all my old insecurities were lurking just under the surface. “Beckett, honestly, what do I have to offer William? He can have anything and anyone he wants. I don’t know if I’m ready for all this. I told you weeks ago, I’m not ready.” What little I had to offer seemed pretty inconsequential compared to the spoils of William’s empire.
    “Cat, you know what I’m going to say, right?”
    I sighed. “Stop thinking so much?”
    “Exactly. You’re smart, beautiful, successful, and really, really nice. And you’re more than ready. You know that. Hold on a sec.”
    Someone said his name, and I narrowed my eyes. Once again, I heard music in the background and the sound of voices. “Where are you right now?”
    “Just checking on your condo.”
    “Are you having a party?”
    There was a pause. “A little one.”
    “Are you celebrating or something?”
    Another pause. “Sort of. I’ve got a lead on a work thing, but I don’t want to say anything yet. I might jinx it. And this is just a teeny, tiny dinner party. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use the AGA.”
    I sighed, happy for Beckett but not thrilled about my condo being used for his ‘teeny, tiny’ party. But I knew I could trust Beckett and besides, as a pastry chef, he got more out of my giant cast-iron gourmet cooker than I ever would, given that my culinary tool of choice was my microwave. “Just clean up after, okay?”
    “Absolutely. And you stop worrying so much. Have fun at your billionaire boyfriend’s estate with a name, Cat. Why don’t you take a bubble bath and have a glass of wine? He makes it there, right?”
    The idea actually sounded pretty good. I had to stop turning everything over in my mind because it was only freaking me out. I might wish things could be